Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1887-06-17

her cnamDtf, fcr heart fuil OF the
mental exception to her aunt's sweep.
ing assertion.
As Cousin Jonas was thought to be,
to use her own words, ..only half a
man, at the worst, and having disa.
vowed. both practically and orally
any inclination towards the chief folly
and weakness of his sex, Miss Pringle
occasionally condeseended Ia hold con.
Verse with him through the door, Oh
window. or picke's of the fence which
surrounded her garden.
One day Jonas saw Ruth and her
aunt at work in the garden. and stop
ped to say "A word Ia the latter.
Ruth was at the other end of the
garden, tying up rosebush. that was
dropping To the earth with the weight
of its fragrant burden.
! Miss Ruth is growing mp very
pretty groaned the old hypocrite,
! with u doleful shake of the head.
| Miss Pringle glanced ut Ruth in dis.
may. True; she WAS. The blush
.'oses were not half so fair aud sweet
IS the bright young face that Was
bending over them.
And there's more than one of tho
same opinion. I'm thinking" added
Jonas, skly. pointing To the spo;
where Edgar Haven had been stand
ing. for some minutes, gazing at the
;'rei;y picture before him. with all his
sonl in his eyes.
''Good-morning. Mss Pringle." said
Edgar. ~ soon as he saw he was OBJ
served. Il was going to ask you for
Ole of Your blush-roses.
..It's another kind of rose he's
after, muttered Jonas with a sardonic
grin.
The pleasant bow and smile that
accompanied Edgar's words would
have found their way To almost any
other heart. but they only added fuel
to the irate spinsters fury and indis-
nation.
Go into the house this instant.
Ruth, she shrieked. ..As for you,
Young man" she added. turning to
Edgar. and making fierce luuge at
him with her cane. If YOU'VE not of
ihstanter, ill-Ill >end'for a police
man.
With glance Of compassion at the
reirratiug girl. ans \ Il ttn of defiance
nj Jonas. who seemed tn b. enjoying
his discontinue hugely. Ed:sar walked
oil.
After this Rath was never allowed
io siir abroad without her aunt or
Polly. the old domestic. at her heels.
Poor kutti' these were sorrowful
days for her. Sometimes She caught a
glimpse 1T Edgar in ilsSdistance. but
nrter dared 4, look twse~ as him.
But one day Polly aud her mistress
went "ut. taking the precsntion. how
ever. to lock the doors after them.
Aud -as Ruth sst.. with her sewing
6,.ari ,4.on her knee. aud her.
thoughts ~nIdenry frfs.-JssiAns< rpprSrs'
anCc through the open window.
Ruth was in perfect tremor of de-
ligh, aud alarm.
If my aunt should return and find
Won here >h. cried. a. she blu>hingiy
released herself from his arms.
Il don't care If she docs. said El-
gar. taking a seat upon the sofa. and
drawing Ruth down beside him. The
old osrrss. What does she say about
nae, Ruth? What terrible crime does
she charge me with"
she SAYS that Won are IA man.
fal,rr.-d Ruth. ~ n. hid her eyes ON
her lovers shoulder.
And so am. returned the young
man. laughing. And never So re-
joiccd in that self-samc fact until
knew YOU. darling. could not love
YOU half ,o well IL | were woman
Ruth hardly knew what to say in
reply to this logic. but she knew that
she was very happy seated by his side.
with his arm round her, and wished
that IL was not 81 tie-ting.
In this way. Edgar continued 70
have several interviews with Ruth, uu-
known to anyone except Jonas Quinn
BY. who slyly watched the pair, chuck
ling over the certainty that it gave
him of inheriting his cousins long.
coveted estate.
The lovers laid many plans TO bring
about the realization of their mutual
wishes. bat none of them seemed feast
BILE. And finally death saved then
any further trouble by suddenly fore
chasing the hong mortgage he had held
upon Ruth's grim old guardian.
Miss Pringle left will, in which sh,
beaueathcd her whole estate. both rea
and personal. Ia her niece Ruth. Blu
Ia this was added the following siugu
lar co,licil:
Whereas il has long been my set
tied conviction that every man. bori
on the face of the earth, Is cruel, de
ceitful and treacherous, in case my
niece, Ruth Pringie. marries any such
LII IN hnt hs
above will shall go to my cousin, Jona'
Quimby. to him and to his heirs, ant
for ever.
But despite this, Edgar and Rutl
were quietly married few weeks
after. to Jonas Quimby's great salts
faction. who immediately made l
formal demand for the estate.
Il don't see what right you have t.
lit" said Ruth husband coolly. ''Th,
will runs, in case she marries any
man born on the face of the earth. ;"
ITO be sure" responded Jonas
rubbing his hands together with an ali
of satisfaction. "that was Il way tn,
old lady had of expressing herself.
suppose YOU We're born on the face o
the earth, wasn't you?" he adde,
jocosely.
Not n bit of it, my good sir. b
what l now consider II fortunate accl
dent. was born in the mines of c.
nearly half II mile beneath it; m
parents having made descent int
them on that evcntful day, and whic
resulted in my unexpected and unde
sired appearance upon the stage u
life. True, don't remember anything
about it myself, but there is lad
sitting yonder who does, and who's
testimony ought to be pretty conclu
sive."
Mrs. Haven smilingly corroborate
her sons statement. But strange t
say, Jonas wasn't satisfied, swearing
that it was nothing but trick t
wrong him out of his rightful inher
tancc. And so the will was contested
Now whether the court was attracte
by the tine-looking young couple o
one side. or repulsed by the sour-vi'
aged old bachelor on the other. or wa
influenced by the legal technicaiitie
IL. 81 Il s,h1